Internal-combustion engine



N. WINBLAD. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I4, 191?.1,400,122. Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

/lll/lllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NIKLAS WINBLAD, 0F STEPNEY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,T0 THE LOCOMOBILE COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORORATION 0FWEST VIRGINIA.

INTERNAL-COYIBUSTION ENGINE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application filed November 14, 1917. Serial No. 202,034.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, NIKLAs VINBLAD, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Stepney, in the countyof Fairiield and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and is moreparticularly, though not exclusively, concerned with a valve mechanismespecially adapted for use with high speed, high compression-engines ofthe modern type, in which' the valves are placed alongside and close'tothe cylinders, to enable the combustion chambers to be decreased insize, without unduly reducing Ytheir depth. 1

of, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional view ofan internal combustionengine embody-l ing my invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a detail plan of one pair of valve lifter guides, andthe yokeand stud which holds them in place; and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1, but with thevalve lifters omitted.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention whichis illustrated therein, I have shown for purposes of exemplification aninternal combustion engine of the T-head type, having a cylinder 4provided with a combustion chamber 5, having laterally offset valvechambers 6-6, although it should be distinctly understood that myinvention is by no means limited to engines of the T-head type, but maybe used in connection with engines of the -L-head type and possiblyothers. The general features of the engine are, or may be, of commonform, and herein include a piston 7 working in the cylinder 5, andconnected by a connecting rod 8 to a crankpin 9 of a crank-shaft 10, thelatter being mounted in suitable bearings 11 in a crankcase 12. Alsomounted in suitable bearings inthe crank case are two cam-shafts 18,provided with cams 14 to operate valve lifters 15 in a usual andwell-known manner, thereby to actuate valves 16 cooperating with valveseats 17 in the oiiset chambers 6. These valves act to control theadmission of combustible mixture to and the exhaust of the spent gasesfrom the cylinder in a manner too well known to require furtherdescription.

It should be observed that the axis of the cam shaft is located at agreaterA distance from the axis of the cylinder than the distance fromthe center of the valve seat to said axis. This enablesy the combustionchamber to be of the least possible width for a given diameter of valve,while still providing ample space for the valve-actuating mechanism atone side of the cylinder. This is herein accomplished by arranging thevalve and valve lifterso that their common axis AA is at an angle to theaxis BB of the cylinder. Heretofore, this arrangement has introduceddifficulties in' the guiding of the valve lifters, but by thearrangement which I shall now describe, all of the advantages oftheinclined arrangement of the valves are preserved, and the diiiicultiesreferred to are obviated. To these ends, I have herein provided.valve-lifter guides 1S, each of which has a cylindrical bore 19 toreceive and guide the valve-lifter, the axis of this bore being, ofcourse, at an angle to the axis of the cylinder.

To avoid serious difficulties in machining the crank-case, where itforms a support for the valve-lifter guide, the outside of the latter isarranged parallel with the axis of the cylinder. In the present example,the crank-case is provided with a cylindrical bore 20, to receive andform a socket for a corresponding cylindrical portion 21 of the valvelifter guide, while the latter is provided with a supporting flange 22at right angles to the axis of the cylinder. This fiange rests upon asupporting surface 23, also at right angles to the axis of the cylinder.

Thus it is evident that, while the valve 'A not be in and valve-liferare inclined at an angle to the axis of the cylinder, and the internalguiding surface of the valve-lifter guide is correspondingly inclined,its exterior is shaped to provide a socket parallel with the cylinderand a seat at right angles therewith, thus greatly simplifying theoperation of machining the crank-case casting, a matter which hasheretofore been attended with great diiculty in engines of the inclinedvalve type.

Since the bore 19 of the valve lifterguide is at an angle to the bore 2Oin the crank case, it is important that the guide be held againstturning movement; otherwise the valve lifter guide would be apt to turnaround in its seat, and the valve lifter would proper position forcoperation with the valve. As a means to prevent any such turningmovement, I have herein provided a stud 24 interlocking with the fiangesof one pair of guides, as best shown lin Figs. 2 and 3. A nut 25threaded onto the stud engages a usual yoke 26, the latter having pairsof arms 27 resting on the flanges 22, and serving to clamp the latteragainst the supporting surface 23. By this means, the valve-actuatorguides are firmly held in their sockets, and prevented from turning. The

valve lifters and guides may be readily re` moved at any time by simplyunscrewing the 'nuts 25 and lifting the yokes 26, after which the guidesmay be withdrawn in an upward direction, and when these parts arereplaced, the flanges 22 are once more interlocked with the stud 24, sothat the bores 19 are accurately positioned in alinement withk thevalves.

While I have herein shown and described one specific form or embodimentof my invention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed anddiscussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to onespecific application thereof, it is to be understood that the inventionis limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement l ofparts, nor to its specific embodiment herein shown, but that extensivedeviations from Y a cylinder having vins the illustrated form orembodiment of the invention may be made, without departing from theprinciples thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by LettersPatent to secure 1s:

l. An engine comprising, in combination, a laterally offset valvechamber and a pair of valve seats, a piston working in said cylinder, apair of valves coperating with said seats, valve actuating mechanismincluding a shaft whose axis is located at a greater distance fromrtheaxis of said cylinder than the distance from the centers of said valveseats to said axis, a

pair of valve-actuators separated by said 2. An engine comprising, incombination, Y

a cylinder having a laterally oHset valve chamberand a pair ofvalvelseats, a piston working insaid cylinder, a pair of valvescoperating with said seats, valve-actuating mechanism including a shaftwhose axis is located at a greater distance from the axis of saidcylinder than the distance from the centers of said Vvalve seats to saidaxis, a pair of valve-actuators operated by said shaft, a pair ofvalve-actuator guides having outer circumferential surfaces ,arrangedparallel with lthe axis ofv said cylinder and having innervalve-actuator guiding surfaces arranged at an angle to the axis of saidcylinder, a support provided with openings whose internal surfaces formsockets for said outer circumferential surfaces of said guides, andmeans to predeterminethe position of said guides and to insure alinementof their guiding surfaces with `said valves.

3. An engine comprising, in combination, a cylinder having a pistonworking therein, a valve having itsl axis disposed lengthwise of and atan angle to the axis of said cylinder, a valve-actuator axially alinedwith said valve, a valve-actuator guide having one axis alined with saidvalve and valve-actuator and having another axis parallel with the der,a valve-actuator axially alinedy withV said valve, a valve-actuatorguide having one axis alined with saidvalve and valveeactuator andhaving another axis parallel with the axis of said cylinder, a guidemounting provided with a guide-receiving. opening having an axisparallel with the axis of said cylinder, and means interlocking withsaid mounting' andl said guide to prevent said guide from turning aboutits second-mentioned axis.

5. An engine comprising, in combination,

a cylinder having a piston working therein, a valve having its axisdisposed lengthwise of and at an angle to the axis of said cylinder, avalve-lifter axially alined with said valve, means for moving saidvalvelifter axially to cause the same to move said valve axially, avalve-lifter guide provided with a valve-lifter guiding bore having itsaxis a-lined With said valve, said guide being provided with an outersurface Whose axis is parallel with the axis of said Cylinder, aguide-mounting provided with a guide-receiving opening parallel With theaxis of said Cylinder, valve lifter guide positioning means, and valvelifter guide clamping means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

NIKLAS WINBLAD.

